Are pillars of society really pillars?

Sadness, deep, deep sadness that cannot be explained is what I felt when I journeyed to the Siparia Roman Catholic Church on Good Friday. Women of all different ages, colours and creeds sat on the grounds outside the church begging alms of those who had gone to the church to pay their respects to La Divina Pastora. But while some were begging for anything — money, clothes and food — there were, on the other hand, some disrespectful people standing outside the church cursing and harassing worshippers as they made their way to the church compound Men were also among those who begged, but what really brought tears to my eyes and what really made my heart ache were the children. Children were begging, pleading with folks for gifts. Their eyes were filled with such joy every time they received a worn dress or a few coins, I could barely contain my tears.

The children have no idea what is happening to them. They probably think their way of life is perfectly normal since it is the only way they know. In the midst of all this and the cries of the less fortunate I thought to myself: “What is being done to help these people? Where are our leaders when you need them?” And there they were. Stuck on the walls of the Siparia Catholic School, with the most ridiculous grins one can find. The Honourable Prime Minister Patrick Manning, along with Opposition Leader Basdeo Panday and President George Maxwell Richards, high up on the wall, the pillars of society. Pillars of society are supposed to be charitable and concerned about its citizens and I mean all its citizens. What do Richards, Manning and Panday have to say?

On another wall of the school there was a huge picture of Christ. “What a comparison” I thought. I must commend the school on how perfectly it compared the leaders of this country to Christ! Christ could never be on the same wall as our leaders. Christ had a heart, feelings for the people. He wasn’t concerned about his own needs. If our leaders really cared about the less fortunate folks of this country, they would find homes for them and they would help them in many ways to live like human beings. Let’s give our leaders the benefit of the doubt and believe the older beggars have a mind of their own and may not want to stay at the homes. What about the children? Why not get them off the streets? Children would respond to the discipline if given the chance.

These children can have an education and they will learn sooner or later that their future can be better than that of their parents. I am most certain the Government has the money to do all of the above and more since it is “giving away money” to other countries. If you do not believe me, if you think there are not many people living below the poverty line in this country, visit this church next Good Friday, you will see exactly what I mean. I must commend and congratulate the kind folks of Trinidad. There are so many charitable people in this country, and because of them there is hope for the poor. If it were left to the Government, well, these people would be better off dead. What was quite admirable about what I saw on Good Friday was the sense of togetherness. Families stick together and stand up for each other, something that is seriously lacking among the more fortunate families in Trinidad. 

Although they do not have the responsibility of paying bills and taxes, these people still have battles of their own to fight. They have to protect themselves from other homeless people who steal the little food, money and clothing they own. They have to face being ridiculed and turned away and they have to protect their daughters from being raped. Outside the church girls who looked no more than 15 years had about three children and husbands or boyfriends, or whatever you want to call them, probably twice their age. Who knows what these girls have had to do in order to survive, and who do I blame for this? Not only the Government, which can do something about the poverty level in the country and yet they turn a blind eye to it and pretend there is no such thing as poverty, but all of us. We allow this to go on and are only aware of it when it troubles us.

My grandfather always said “the rich gets richer and the poor poorer” and it is quite applicable to this country today. I pray that fasting has brought all our “pillars” of society to their senses and I hope they have realised just how bad things are in this country. Maybe one of them will be truly “honourable” enough to do something about the poor in our country.